New restrictions to how much time children under the age of 18 can spend using electronic devices came into being on Friday, when an amendment to a child rights protection act cleared the floor of the legislature.
The revision to the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act (兒童及少年福利與權益保障法) expands existing regulations that ban underage smoking, drinking and betel nut and drug use to cover the use of electronic devices.
The new regulation stipulates that minors “may not constantly use electronic products for a period of time that is not reasonable,” according to the amendment.
Parents, legal guardians or those caring for youths can be fined up to NT$50,000 if they are found to have allowed children in their care to use electronic devices to an extent that causes them to become ill, either physically or mentally, the amendment said.
However, the new regulation fails to define what timeframe legislators deem to be “reasonable.”
The revision was proposed by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕), who said the new regulation is aimed at protecting the young from “indulging in electronic entertainment for long periods of time.”
However, Lu’s proposal sparked immediate debate on the definition of “a long period of time” during a preliminary legislative review.
According to Chang Hsiu-yuan (張秀鴛), director of the Department of Protective Services at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 30 minutes could be a “reasonable” period of time for children above the age of two to use electronic devices, while it is recommended that children under that age not use any electronic devices.
The ministry will discuss with local governments a more definitive timeframe and how to enforce the new regulation based on the Health Promotion Administration’s advice, Social and Family Affairs Administration Division head Wu Hui-chun (吳惠君) said.
Another revision to the act that received legislative approval stipulates a four to 50 hour parent education program as punishment for parents, legal guardians or those caring for children who fail to prevent their charges from using drugs or entering adult clubs, as well as if they are found to have abandoned or abused children physically or mentally, forced a minor to beg for money or left children under six years of age or children that require special unattended.
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS